Pato O'Ward Claims Pole in IndyCar's Thermal Grand Prix

Pato O'Ward captured pole position for the inaugural Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix, marking a significant comeback after a disappointing start to the season, where he qualified 26th in St. Petersburg. O'Ward set a fastest lap of 1:39.9567 seconds, edging out his McLaren teammate Christian Lundgaard, who will start alongside him on the front row. Defending champion Alex Palou qualified third, while Colton Herta and Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top five. The qualifying session proved challenging for all drivers due to tire degradation, with Team Penske experiencing an unusually poor performance, as all three of its drivers failed to advance past the first round. O'Ward expressed confidence in his car setup, crediting team efforts for his pole achievement. This marks McLaren's first front row lockout in IndyCar, showcasing their improved performance.